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Internships

Student Resources

Welcome to the UNCW Film Studies Internship Hub. Here, you will find vital information about eligibility, the application process, and online forms for internships available in Wilmington, New York City, Los Angeles, and beyond.

These internships have been transformative for many students, sparking a passion for various film specialties like cinematography, casting, animation, documentary production, critical writing, publishing, and film archiving. Our interns gain real-world experience, develop new skills, and learn from top industry professionals, making it a cornerstone of their undergraduate journey.

Internships can lead to employment after graduation. This is one of the most noteworthy features of an internship. An internship can provide you with contacts, referrals, and job recommendations which are crucial to landing the job of your dreams.

Read Internship Blog

How to Apply

 

Application Process

Application Deadlines:
  • June 1st for Fall Semester
  • November 1st for Spring Semester
  • March 16th for Summer Sessions

Early applicants are given priority over those who submit after the stated deadlines. Late applications are considered, so you can still miss the deadline and apply, although that is not recommended.

Steps In Applying for an Internship

Please Note: If ALL steps are not followed properly, or if your application is incomplete, you will NOT be accepted for an internship.

  1. Check your eligibility for an internship. (See Eligibility Requirements)
  2. Prepare your resume. The UNCW Career Center is happy to help you in creating and reviewing your resume before submission.
  3. Fill out the Fall 2025 Internship Application Form before the deadline.
  4. Email the Internship Director to set up a meeting to discuss your agency selections (optional).
  5. After the deadline, your resume will be submitted to up to three agencies for consideration. These agencies will review your resume and, if selected, will offer you an internship position.
  6. As soon as you have accepted an internship offer, you will let the Internship Director know you have been offered a position and they will submit your FST498 “Permission to Enroll” form to the Dean’s office.
  7. An internship is a class. Once your form has been approved, you will receive an email from the Film Studies office instructing you on how to officially enroll in the FST 498 Internship course. Internships are THREE credit hours per semester and must be paid for as you would any class.

    You must register for the course and PAY for all credits earned or your internship will be canceled.

Important Notes

Selecting Your Top Agencies:

Review the agencies that are linked below. Please do not directly contact an internship site listed on our UNCW Film Studies website. You are encouraged to find new agencies on your own, suited to your interests in film. If you find a new site you would like to work with, contact the Internship Director, Professor Shannon Silva, for approval. Professor Silva will submit your application to the agencies on your behalf.

Internship Credits:

A maximum of SIX credits are given for internships. You may apply for THREE additional internship credits with permission from the Chair. You are encouraged to contact Professor Silva regarding the status of your application.

Waiting to Hear Back:

Most agencies do not approve internships until about a month or less before any semester starts. Please have patience.

Internship Expectations:

By submitting your application form, you are acknowledging that you have read, understand, and agree to the "Internship Expectations" listed on the main Internship page under "Essential Information."

Interning After Graduation:

Internships may be continued after graduation, even if you have completed nine undergraduate internship credits, by re-enrolling at UNCW through the Registrar's Office.

Eligibility Requirements 

An internship applicant must:

  1. Be a full-time, degree-seeking Film Studies major at UNCW (not PFST)
  2. Have junior or senior standing (at least 59 total credit hours completed)
  3. Have completed a minimum of 12 hours in FST courses
  4. Have at least a 2.5 GPA overall, and a 2.5 GPA in the major
  5. Have their own transportation
  6. An internship is a class. You must PAY for all credits earned or your internship will be canceled

Internship Expectations

Interns are required to work a minimum of 8 - 10 hours per week during fall and spring semesters. Summer I and II minimum requirements are 20 hours per week.

An important part of your Internship experience is having some specific learning objectives going into your internship. You will need to formulate 2-3 of these, in consultation with your agency supervisor, during the first two weeks of the Fall or Spring semesters. For summer internships, you must submit your learning objectives during the first week of the semester.

To learn more about learning objectives, and UNCW Internships in general, please refer to the UNCW Internship page.

While most of your internship will take place at your agency, you and the Internship Director will still need to stay connected during the semester. Therefore, it is mandatory that you submit progress and activity updates to the Film Studies Internship Blog ONCE per month (on the first of each month) during Fall or Spring semesters, and ONCE per week (each Friday afternoon) during the summer semesters. Updates should be a minimum of 150 words. The Internship Director will also be staying in touch with your agency supervisor.

FAILURE TO KEEP IN TOUCH MAY RESULT IN FAILING THE INTERNSHIP. It is crucial to your professional development that you follow through with your responsibilities to the Internship Agency and to the Film Studies Department.
As part of your internship, you are required to interview a professional in your field of interest. This interview should be five pages in length. Only one interview is required, although some students have done two to maximize their networking opportunities. For this assignment you will want to be as prepared and professional as possible, developing well-thought-out questions beforehand.
As part of your internship, you are required to write an Internship Reflection Paper. This essay is due on the last scheduled day of classes of the semester in which you do your internship. This 1000-word reflection essay should discuss the learning goals you set during the first week on the job, new ones you may have added, and how you worked towards achieving them – or how they changed as a result of the experience. Be as detailed as you can. This is a record of your internship experience and a chance to reflect on what’s important to you as you evolve as a film professional.

The essay must be double-spaced, proofread, and spell-checked for errors. Please utilize this assignment to demonstrate your best writing skills.

Always keep safety in mind as you perform the duties related to your internship. If you are working on a film set, for example, be aware of any potential hazards, such as hot lights, electrical cables, heavy equipment being moved, etc. Don't do anything that would put you or anyone else at risk.

Some internship employers request UNCW faculty and staff and students to sign Indemnity and Hold Harmless Agreements, transferring from the employer to UNCW liability for personal claims, wrongful death or property damage arising out of the performance of their student internship program.

The University of North Carolina legal counsel has informed UNCW Career Services that there is a list of "Prohibited Contract Clauses" which the NC Attorney General has published for State agencies (including UNC schools). Number three on that list of prohibited clauses is "Hold-Harmless or Indemnification Clauses, Both in Tort and Contract, in Favor of the Contractor."

Therefore, UNCW and all State agencies actually lack the authority to indemnify and hold harmless another entity, and no UNCW faculty, staff or student should sign such an agreement.

Finally, please remember that you are representing not only yourself, but also the Film Studies Department and UNCW. As the saying goes: "It's better to be 30 minutes early than 30 seconds late." For example, don't tell the agency you can be there 10 minutes after your class ends at UNCW, or you'll run the risk of frequently being late and making a bad impression (or worse, being terminated and failing). It is your responsibility to work out any scheduling issues with your supervisor at the agency.

Best of luck with your Internship! I hope it is an invaluable learning experience, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Shannon Silva.

Internship Sites

We are adding new agencies and positions in Wilmington, nationally, and internationally, all the time. If you have a specific interest or area that you want to pursue, and we do not presently have contacts in that area - we can help you to identify and find potential sites.

Contact Internship Director, Professor Shannon Silva, to discuss the best internship fit for you.

Review the accordions below for agency descriptions and/or official agency websites where available. DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO, NOR DIRECTLY CONTACT ANY OF THE AGENCIES BELOW. THAT IS THE INTERNSHIP DIRECTOR'S JOB.

Internship Sites

 

High Point

Elements Studio

Raleigh

Trailblazer Studios (PAID. Must apply directly to the company)

Shallotte

Tower 5 Media

Winston-Salem

Queer Fear Film Festival

Major studio internships are online applications ONLY. You are responsible for making applications to individual studios on your own. If you obtain an internship, we can get you academic credit. Please see the Film Studies main Internship page under "Important Online Links and Leads" for an incomplete list of specific studios and other agencies for jobs and internships. You should also Google studios and production companies for possible positions.

Before applying to any internship out of state, or abroad, be sure that you can AFFORD to spend a semester, or a summer away. DO NOT APPLY UNLESS YOU ARE SURE YOU CAN PAY FOR TUITION AND ALL TRAVEL AND LIVING EXPENSES.

Atlanta

Casting

STW Talent

Chicago

Talent and Literary Management

Chicago Film Archives (Must apply yourself. Look under "Intern Program".)

Internship positions in LA and NY may include: script readers, development and acquisitions departments, marketing, distributors, studios, film crews, film archiving and screening, film criticism magazines, film studies publishers, film festivals, talent agencies, agents, and many others. You are encouraged to find new agencies on your own, suited to your interests in film. If you find an agency you would like to work with, please contact Internship Director Shannon Silva.

PLEASE NOTE: When considering a Los Angeles, New York City, or worldwide internship, you should ALWAYS look for internships on your own as the needs and personnel at the companies we work with change from year to year and can be unpredictable.

Major studio internships are online applications ONLY. You are responsible for making applications to individual studios on your own. If you obtain an internship, we can get you academic credit.

Before applying to any internship out of state, or abroad, be sure that you can AFFORD to spend a semester, or a summer away. DO NOT APPLY UNLESS YOU ARE SURE YOU CAN PAY FOR TUITION AND ALL TRAVEL AND LIVING EXPENSES.

Los Angeles

Production and Development

Casting

Post-Production

Distribution and Film Sales

Music

Talent and Literary Management

New York

FYI: In 2016, the state of New York passed a law requiring that all internships must be paid.
While this is good news for interns, it makes the process very competitive.

Production and Development

Post-Production

United Kingdom

  • Intellect Books (Possible remote internship opportunity -- Internship Director, Professor Shannon Silva)

Additional Resources

UNCW Career Center

Crew/Industry Jobs and Internships

Placement Agencies/Temp Employment

Studio and Network Jobs and Internships

Critical Studies/Film Journals

Freelance Journalism/Copywriting

Editing

Teaching

Study/Internships Abroad

Contact The Internship Director

Shannon Silva, UNCW Film Studies

Phone: (910) 962-2232

silvas@uncw.edu

R23 rm. 2338